Information recording apparatus and power-saving method therefor

1. An information recording apparatus for recording video information obtained from a sensor, comprising: a face detecting unit, which is configured to detect a face of a person among the video information obtained from said sensor; a face detection switching unit, which is configured to switch a setup of valid/invalid of a face detecting function by said face detecting unit; a power-saving controller unit, which is configured to execute a power-saving control; a recording unit, which is configured to record the video information inputted from said sensor onto a recording medium; a controller unit, wherein said controller unit executes a control for reducing an electric power consumption of the information recording apparatus, by said power-saving controller unit, when: no face of the person is detected by said face detecting unit, irrespective of whether the face detecting function of said face detecting unit is set to be valid by means of said face detection switching unit, and when the face of the person is not detected by the face detecting unit; a power-saving level setup unit, which is configured to set up a power-saving level, which is determined from a volume of electric power consumption to be reduced by said power-saving controller unit, wherein said power-saving controller unit executes the power-saving control upon basis of the video information, which is set up by said power-saving level setup unit.

2. The information recording apparatus, as described in the claim 1 , wherein the electric power consumption to be reduced by said power-saving controller unit is an electric power to be supplied to each of units, which does not causing trouble in a usability for a user or an operation of the information recording apparatus if lessening the electric power to be supplied thereto.

3. The information recording apparatus, as described in the claim 2 , further comprising: a display unit, which is configured to display information, including the video information inputted from said sensor and an OSD (On Screen Display), wherein the electric power consumption reduced by said power-saving controller unit is an electric power to be supplied to said display unit.

4. The information recording apparatus, as described in the claim 1 , further comprising: a power-saving control setup unit, with which a user sets up a power-saving control, wherein the followings are determined upon basis of information set up by the user, by means of said power-saving control setup unit: if the power-saving control should be executed by said power-saving controller unit or not; the electric power to be supplied to which unit should be reduced, by said power-saving controller unit; and to which level a power-saving level should be set up by said power-saving level setup unit.

5. The information recording apparatus, as described in the claim 1 , further comprising: a power-saving level memory unit, which is configured to memorize the power-saving level set up into said power saving level memory unit; a power-saving level setup information obtaining unit, which is configured to obtain setup information of the power-saving level, which is memorized in said power saving level memory unit; and a present power-saving level obtaining unit, which is configured to obtain a present power-saving level, wherein comparison is made between the power-saving level setup information, which is obtained by said power-saving level setup information obtaining unit and memorized in said power saving level memory unit, and the present power-saving level, which is obtained by said present power-saving level obtaining unit, and when both are conflict with, the present power-saving level is so controlled that it comes to be equal to the power-saving level setup information.

6. The information recording apparatus, as described in the claim 5 , wherein the present power-saving level information, which is memorized in said power saving level memory unit, is renewed, when the present power-saving level is changed.

7. The information recording apparatus, as described in the claim 1 , further comprising: a power comeback unit, which is configured to return to a condition before starting the power-saving control from a power-saving condition, wherein comeback is made from the power-saving condition by said power comeback unit, when said face detecting unit detects the face of the person, under the power-saving condition.

8. The information recording apparatus, as described in the claim 1 , wherein comeback is made from a power-saving condition by said power comeback unit, when said face detecting unit detects the face of the person which starts a recording, under the power-saving condition.

9. The information recording apparatus, as described in the claim 1 , further comprising: a battery residual charge observation unit, which is configured to observe battery residual charge; and a battery residual charge threshold value setup unit, which is configured to set up a threshold value for the battery residual charge, wherein said controller unit compares the battery residual charge, which is observed by said battery residual charge observation unit, and the threshold value, which is set up by said battery residual charge threshold value setup unit, and determines an operation of said power-saving controller unit, depending upon a result of the battery residual charge comparison.

10. The information recording apparatus, as described in the claim 1 , further comprising: a time elapse management unit, which is configured to manage elapse of time; and an elapsing time threshold setup unit, which is configured to change the power-saving operation depending on elapsing of time, wherein said controller unit executes the power-saving control by said power-saving controller unit, when detecting the following condition: that the control of the face detecting unit has received valid information from a face detection setup information obtaining unit; that the face of the person is not detected from a face detection observation unit; and that a recording observation unit does not record the video information.

11. The information recording apparatus, as described in the claim 3 , wherein information, indicative of being in a power-saving operation to the user, is displayed on the display unit, during when being transited into a power-saving condition by said power-saving controller unit.

12. A power-saving method, for an information recording apparatus for recording video information obtained from a sensor, comprising the following steps: a face detecting step, which is configured to detect a face of a person among the video information obtained from said sensor; a face detection switching step, which is configured to switch a setup of valid/invalid of a face detecting function; a recording step, which is configured to record the video information inputted from said sensor onto a recording medium; a recording observing step, which is configured to observe on whether recording of the video information is conducted or not in said recording step; and a step, which is configure to execute a control for reducing an electric power consumption of the information recording apparatus, when determining that: no face of the person is detected by said face detecting step, irrespective of whether the face detecting function of said face detecting step is set to be valid by means of said face detection switching step, and when no recording of the video information is made by said recording step; a step of level setup power-saving, which is configured to set up a power-saving level, which is determined from a volume of electric power consumption to be reduced by said power-saving controller unit, wherein a power-saving controller unit execute a power-saving control upon basis of the video information, which is set up by said power-saving level setup step.